Session DetailsThe transaction log is critical for SQL Server operations and for optimal SQL Server functioning, you need to understand how to manage and maintain your log. The session is divided into four parts: 1. Log Internals We''ll examine how SQL Server manages the transaction log internally, and look at some undocumented commands for examining log usage and low growth. 2. Physical Management We''ll discuss what happens as the log grows and shrinks, and explore best practices for physical placement of your log file(s). 3. The logging experience We''ll look at various SQL Server operations to explore what gets written to the log when various operations are performed. 4. Restore and Recovery Finally, we''ll look at how the log is processed during BACKUP and RESTORE commands, and how that processing changes in different recovery models.

Q&A with Kalen
Q: How do you find the undocumented commands you share for examining log usage and growth? How important is it to have these commands in your arsenal of management tools?A: You can discover some undocumented commands by running a trace, some by reading the text of the system procedures, and others by reading Microsoft Knowledge Base articles and blogs written by members (or former members) of the SQL Server team at Microsoft. When things are going well, you usually don’t need these commands. However, some undocumented commands are invaluable when you’re troubleshooting problems. There are others I have never really needed to use. I just like them because they’re geeky...

I have been working with SQL Server for over 21 years, starting with my employment with the Sybase Corporation in October 1987. The first chapter of the first two Inside SQL Server books that I worked on contained all kinds of juicy details about the beginning of SQL Server with Sybase, and the author of the book's first edition, Ron Soukup, was very much involved in the original joint product. I was also there, in the other half of the arena! I was working in Sybase Technical Support when the first OS/2 SQL Server was set up in one of our labs. Those were the days... Although this history chapter is not included with SQL Server 2008 Internals, you can find Chapter 1 from Inside SQL Server 2000 here.

I worked for Sybase as a Technical Support Analyst for two years, and then transferred to the Education Department. I taught all the Sybase courses, and was the specialist for the advanced course on Performance Tuning and Optimization.

In 1992 I became an independent trainer and consultant, after my family moved from the San Francisco Bay Area to the Beautiful Pacific Northwest. Since then, I have worked with both the Microsoft and Sybase companies to develop courses and to do internal training for their Technical Support staff. I was the Primary Subject Matter Expert (SME) for two Microsoft courses: 608: New Features of Microsoft SQL Server 6.5, and 665: SQL Server 6.5 Performance Tuning and Optimization. In 1998 I developed an internal course for Microsoft's product support team, to help them learn the internals and new features of SQL Server 7 and I did something similar for SQL Server 2000. I delivered these courses for many years, to various Microsoft offices and partners around the country and around the world. Today, I have my own custom course on SQL Server 2008/2005 Architecture, Internals and Query Tuning, which I teach both privately and publicly to clients around the world. You can see my schedule here.

In 1993, Microsoft awarded me the MVP (Most Valuable Professional) designation for my participation in the public SQL Server help forums on Microsoft's news server (msnews.microsoft.com). I am still regular participant on the public forums, especially Microsoft's public news server, answering many questions dealing with SQL Server internals and behavior.

I have been writing about SQL Server for over 15 years, in addition to courseware development. Prior to writing my first Inside SQL Server book I was a coauthor of SAMS' SQL Server 6.5 Unleashed (Oct 96) and SQL Server in 21 Days (Feb 98), also from SAMS.

I wrote a regular monthly column on SQL Server Internals for Pinnacle Publishing's SQL Server Professional Journal from October 95 to September 98. have written articles for Windows ITPro Magazine (formerly Windows Magazine), from Penton Media (windowsITPro.com) In mid-1998 I joined the editorial staff of Penton's newest publication, SQL Server Magazine, which made its debut in February 99. You can get a list of all my articles for SQL Server Magazine here.

On numerous occasions I have been invited by Microsoft to present special internal training. I have spoken at Microsoft Technical Education Conference (TechEd), and worked in the SQL Server Lab at several conferences.

In early 1999 I was asked to participate in the original planning committee to form a non-profit, international SQL Server Users' Group. Out of that planning committee, the Professional Association for SQL Server (PASS) was born. I served as the Director of Program Development for the first two years, and spoke at the inaugural conference in Chicago in September 1999. I have spoken at every PASS conference since that time, usually presenting both a pre-conference seminar and a regular conference session.

See the other sessions Kalen is presenting at PASS Community Summit 2009 here.